I'm not peeved at all by runners who constantly try and pass me as long as they don't cut back in front of me too soon. The give and take is what makes a race so much fun. Really, for me, just be a courteous, friendly runner. None of us are going to the Olympics.

A tangent to my pet peeve regarding runners who have poor etiquette and line up too close to the front is the bobber and the weaver. I realize that at the end of a race form is a big challenge for all of us, but I wish people would try to maintain their line when running. I usually run on the line separating the shoulder from the main portion of the road so I don't have to worry about running straight. Concentrating on that line keeps me "in line." Last weekend, at about the 2.5 mile portion of a 5K I attempted to pass a runner on the left. She (unintentionally due to fatigue) started bobbing and weaving all out of her line like she was failing a field sobriety test. I nearly ran into her. Sometimes when I come up on these people, I say "passing you on the Re: People are so funny - my running Pet Peeve" to let them know. Of course if they're wearing headphones then they'll never hear me, but that's for a different thread.

This is really more of a minor annoyance because I realize how hard it is to maintain form when you're at that point in a race when you're wondering just why in the world running seemed like such a good idea.

I must say that I do that though (not on purpose). I have bad gait and my left leg swings out so I looked like I'm drunk running around. I've had a few people get irritated because they think I'm pushing them but I can't keep a straight line. But you def do the right thing, call out when you're passing. I give people a bigger passing lane then so I know I'm not going to run into them. But that's why headphones are so frowned upon, those people are in their own worlds and wouldn't know if you were screaming at them that a dog was chasing them.

One of my last annoyances was a road race in which I was passing a guy and we were running in the middle of a two lane road. I go to pass and he got right up next to me and basically cut me off. I figured he was protecting his position on the road because of a turn coming up so I slowed down, got behind him and swung way outside to pass. Sure enough, he started veering across the road at me trying to cut me off........I didn't back down and we hit shoulders/elbows a few times and I completed my pass. How much time and energy did he just waste trying to keep one person from passing (I know, not alot). Just another poor etiquette runner.

My latest pet peeve......I'm running on the walking/running/biking/skateboard/scooter trail in the park. There is a family on a nice leisurely stroll, an older couple and I'm assuming one of their children and their spouse (not young children by any means). The trail is a loop, just over a half mile. They are walking.....very slowly, I am running. They are spread out across the whole trail, two by two. As I approach I move to the left side of the trail and call out "on your left" all four of them stop, step to the left and look to the right, causing me to nearly trip over them and I have to make a quick maneuver to the right to pass on the right since they have moved (slightly) to the left.....ok, so they didn't understand what I was doing but after nearly mowing them down the should....right??? So, I lap around and approach them again-I attempt the "on your left" stragegy again thinking they will step to the right to allow me to pass on the left........nope....they again STOP and step to the left. This time I give them a disgusted look and tell them "when someone says 'on your left', they are going to pass you on your left side." OK, loop around again and now I've given them instruction so it should go well....right? Nope...."on your left" stop...step to the left....turn and stare!!!!! SERIOUSLY!!!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE..... from then on I gave up and moved to the grass far, far out on their left side and passed them.

My latest pet peeve......I'm running on the walking/running/biking/skateboard/scooter trail in the park. There is a family on a nice leisurely stroll, an older couple and I'm assuming one of their children and their spouse (not young children by any means). The trail is a loop, just over a half mile. They are walking.....very slowly, I am running. They are spread out across the whole trail, two by two. As I approach I move to the left side of the trail and call out "on your left" all four of them stop, step to the left and look to the right, causing me to nearly trip over them and I have to make a quick maneuver to the right to pass on the right since they have moved (slightly) to the left.....ok, so they didn't understand what I was doing but after nearly mowing them down the should....right??? So, I lap around and approach them again-I attempt the "on your left" stragegy again thinking they will step to the right to allow me to pass on the left........nope....they again STOP and step to the left. This time I give them a disgusted look and tell them "when someone says 'on your left', they are going to pass you on your left side." OK, loop around again and now I've given them instruction so it should go well....right? Nope...."on your left" stop...step to the left....turn and stare!!!!! SERIOUSLY!!!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE..... from then on I gave up and moved to the grass far, far out on their left side and passed them.

WTH? These are the same people, I guess, who drive below in the speed limit in the far left lane oblivious to the dirty looks (one finger salutes, horns honking, lights flashing) of the drivers who have to pass them on the right.

My experience on some mixed-use trails (walkers/runners/bikes) is that many people who do not run or bike simply have no idea what "on your left" or "on your right" really means. Judging by their immediate reactions, they really think that "on your right" means that they should jump to the right - even if you tell them NO, you're passing on the right. It's even more noticeable when riding a bike where the speed difference is larger.

OMMMGEEEE, I think that we all pretty much understand that running is an individual sport. I like to have running "buddies" but I don't like to actually run with them. Nothing personal, but I need space. In a 5K, or in whatever race, there are always those idiots that are just there to socialize. eye roll. They walk and gossip, and walk and gossip, and I just sprint past them. I also run on an indoor track, and there is nothing worse that two women who (because I'm already irritated) are talking about nothing of importance and they are walking on the inside lane of the track. It states simply on the door at the entrance...."PLEASE USE OUTSIDE LANE FOR WALKING" One day, I'm probably going to snap (because obviously I can outrun them) and say, "don't you have any manners, there are real runners here trying to train." Sigh. What can we do?

Interesting: in Runners World this month there is a beginner's Q&A where someone asks whether it is okay to pace off of other runners during a race and how do you know if you are getting too close. The answer was that if you have stuck behind someone long enough to wonder if you should back off, then YES you need to back off.

I'm doing C25K on a track. When I first started, I figured there was some sort of "track etiquette", and figured it out--it wasn't THAT difficult!

I just want to be in my lane and chug along in my appropriate lane until my time's up. I've been having no problems the past few weeks since it's been hot and humid, but the other day EVERYONE was out! I spent more time dodging kids, "strollers" who take up lanes 2 AND 3 AND 4 AND 5 (of a 6 lane track) and just people who are clueless of their surroundings. Why can't people treat walking on a track like driving on a highway---slower to the right, pass on the left? I just wanted to scream by the end of my run!

Of course I'm assuming the people walking on the track understand how to drive...I may be giving some people too much credit.

MsC

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, champagne in one hand - strawberries in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming,"WOO HOO!!! What a Ride!"

My pet peeve hit an all time high! I ran a 10 mile race which had about 15,000 people in it. You have giant sections to line up according to your pace, just like a marathon. I wasn't sure how I'd do and so I went a minute behind what I should've (big mistake). The race starts and it took 4 minutes to get to the start line, which is fine, it was expected. We go over the start line and start running, 100 meters later I'M PASSING WALKERS!!!! I got irritated right away and lost manners and would yell at them or shoulder clip them as I passed (rude, I know). In the first mile, I passed around 3000 people, at least 1000 of which were walking. That means at least 1000 walkers lined up in the 7:00 mile section! Miles 2-10, I ran around a 7:10 average. My first mile was around 9:00 minutes.

I feel rude now because I line up in the front of every race. I know I'm not the fastest or even close but when you have someone with a bib on that says WALKER on it and they get in the front row......... if you get shoulder clipped, you probably know who hit you now.

I'm right there with you on needing personal space. People blocking trails or lanes drive me nuts...strollers walking side by side taking up the whole trail...REALLY? However, I have a new pet peeve thanks to my latest 10K experience on Labor Day. Runners truly need to think about where they spit when they run. I experienced my own shower of sorts thanks to the kind gentleman running a few paces ahead of me. On the bright side, I had little difficulty increasing my pace in an attempt to get out of his spitting range. I don't know, I manage to run a 10K without feeling the need to spit on anyone. Am I asking too much?

About my only pet peeve is all the runners who stop to pee at the beginning of the marathons I've been in during the 1st few miles. They stop in full view of everyone. This soon in the run, the only reason for having to stop is overhydrating and not wanting to wait in line at the portapottys. We've all had our "episodes" with bladder problems during a run, but these guys are stopping out of convenience at this point in the run rather than being at the point of last resort.

I hear ya. I'm a slow runner around a 10 pace. Last year I lined up right at the 10 min pace mark and had to dodge about 1,000 runners. I ran the same race 'this' year and lined up at the 9 min pace, it was perfect. I still think it's wrong, the old if everyone is doing it must be okay lame excuse, but I ran a much better race, and I still had to pass a bunch of people, but not as many.